The present invention relates to improved deliverability of implantable devices or devices inserted into a body tract or a body cavity of a patient. In particular, the present invention relates to a self-centering or self-aligning implantable device.
Various types of catheters are known for treating cardiac or other disorders. Catheters are temporarily inserted into the vascular system, the urinary tract, or other such tracts. Catheter devices include an elongated shaft having sufficient length to track from an insertion position to a remote treatment site in a body vessel. Catheter devices are externally manipulated and maneuvered to reach a remote site. The tortuous profile of a body vessel increases the difficulty of externally manipulating the catheter to a remote treatment site. It is therefore desirable that the shaft supporting the catheter have sufficient rigidity for pushabality and torqueability to facilitate external manipulation of the catheter and sufficient flexibility to enable tracking of bends and contours of the body vessel.
Catheters used to treat coronary heart disease are typically tracked from a femoral or brachial insertion point through a patient""s vasculature to a coronary treatment site. The treatment catheter can be inserted through a guide catheter or advanced along a guide wire. The guide catheter can be pre-shaped or bent to conform to the vessel contour to facilitate insertion and placement in the treatment vessel. The distal end of the treatment catheter is steered through the guide catheter by the application of torque and force which is transmitted from a proximal end of the catheter that resides outside the patient. The treatment catheter is also steered, in part, through engagement or contact between the treatment catheter and the guide catheter walls. Manipulating or steering the catheter along the insertion path through contact with the guide catheter increases operating friction, retards advancement of the treatment catheter and can kink or damage a tip or body of the treatment catheter.
If the treatment catheter is positioned with a guide wire, the treatment catheter typically includes a guide wire lumen in the catheter shaft which receives the guide wire. The guide wire includes a lower profile than the catheter shaft and can be independently advanced to a treatment site or stenosis. Thereafter, the treatment catheter which may be preloaded on the guide wire is advanced along the guide wire to position the catheter at the treatment site. The treatment catheter can also be after loaded onto a pre-inserted guide wire to accomplish a catheter exchange. Friction and contact between the walls of the guide wire lumen in the catheter shaft and the guide wire can impede or restrict advancement of the treatment catheter over the guide wire. The present invention addresses these and other problems.
The present invention relates to a self-centering or alignment system for a catheter or other treatment device. The system includes magnets on interacting elongate devices to separate and align the elongate devices for use. The interactive elongate devices can include a guide catheter and the treatment catheter. The interactive elongate devices can also include a treatment catheter and guide wire for advancing or tracking the treatment catheter over the guide wire. The system of the present invention facilitates insertion and placement of medical devices at a treatment site and provides enhanced maneuverability and insertability for treatment devices.